Container cap-seal and sealing apparatus



Jan. 22, 1957 J. MILIEZ 2,778,179

CONTAINER CAP-SEAL AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 22, 1957 J. MILIEZ CONTAINER CAP-SEAL AND SEALING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1954 United States Patent CONTAINER CAP-SEAL AND SEALING APPARATUS Janina Miliez, Paris, France Application January 5, 1954, Serial No. 402,225 Claims priority, application France June 24, 1953 3 Claims. (Cl. 53-291) This invention relates to cap seals for containers, particularly bottles, and also extends to apparatus for applying seals to containers.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved seal or cap-seal for a container. Another object is to provide an improved cap-seal which is easy and inexpensive to make and apply, and which will nevertheless provide a perfectly tight seal. A further object is to provide such a cap-seal which cannot be removed without damaging or destroying it. A further object is to provide.

an improved tamper-proof cap-seal which is made from plastic sheet-material.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide an improved device for applying a cap-seal to a container. A further object in this connection is to provide a rugged and inexpensive device, simple to make and operate, for applying cap-seals made from deformable plastic sheet material or the like, to containers such as bottles.

The above and further objects of the invention, as well as the novel features and advantages thereof will appear from the ensuing description in which several forms of the invention are illustrated by way of indication but not of limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a sectional view of one form of improved cap-seal;

Figure 2 is a similar view of a modified form;

Figures 3 to 5 illustrate various eforms of improved capseals applied to the necks of bottles;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the top of a bottle provided with another form of cap-seal according to a modification of the invention;

Figure 7 is a side view in elevation of an improved cap-sealing device according to the invention;

Figure 8 is an isometric view of part of the cap-sealing device;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic partial view, parly in section, illustrating the operation of the device.

First referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, an improved seal 1 is of substantially cylindrical shape outwardly and is internally provided with a plurality of annular ribs or reinforcements 2. Its sealed upper end is inwardly formed with a thickened part 3 which, though shown solid in the drawing, may be recessed.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the annular reinforcements 4 are provided externally rather than internally of the cylindrical body of the seal.

Figures 3 to 5 illustrate various forms of bottle necks fitted with improved seals of the type shown in Figure 1. It will be noted that in each of Figures 3 to 5, neck 5, 6 or 7 of the bottle or other container to be sealed has an externally protruding rim or flange 8. At least one inner rib of the seal such as 2 in Figure 3, is adapted to engage under this rim to lock the seal in position so that the seal cannot be removed without destroying or damaging the seal. Thus the seal is tamper-proof.

In the form shown in Figure 6, the cap-seal 1 is provided at its top with an annular flange 9' whereby the container 10 may be unsealed as with a crowncork-remover, without requiring the use of a cutting tool.

As illustrated in Figures 7 device according to this invention comprises a pair of shoehorn-like elements 11a and 11b shaped as parts of an inverted funnel. Each element 11a, 11b is secured at the end of a related rod 12 which is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in a support 13, and the latter has set screws 13a extending therethrough to slidably engage in suitable longitudinal grooves (not shown) in the rods 12 to prevent turning of the latter. The funnel element 11a is inclined inwards at a substantial angle whereas funnel element 11b is substantially vertical. Element 11a is narrower than element 11b. The sup port 13 is carried on a vertical post 15 upstanding from a base 14 and, with the latter, defining a stand.

Secured on the outer end of each rod 12 is a stop 16. Springs 17 secured between the stops 16 and support 13 tend to draw the stops against the supports and hence to move the elements 11a and 11b towards each other. A rod 18 is pivoted in the support 13 and has secured to it at its ends a pair of strips 19 projecting at right angles therefrom and adapted for engagement between the stops 16 and the adjacent surfaces of the support 13, thereby to hold elements 11a and 11b spaced from each other against the action of springs 17.

Pivoted to the top of post 15 is an actuating lever 20. This lever is connected through a link 21 to a lever 22 pivoted on the support about a pivot 23 and carrying at its end a pad or pressure member 24 of resilient material, such as rubber, said pad being arranged to overlie the elements 11a and 1112 when the lever 22 is rocked in a suitable direction. The connecting link is preferably adjustable; for this purpose, as shown, its elfective length. may be modified by inserting a connecting pin projecting from operating lever 20 into a selected one of a set of spaced holes formed along the length of link 21, as illustrated in Figure 7. p

Connected with the lever 22 is a strip 25 adapted to cooperate with a cam 26 secured on the rod 18 so as to rotate said rod in the direction to disengage the strips 19 out of the positions in which they hold funnel elements 11a, 11b in the spread apart condition. A spring 27 connected between the lower end of lever 20 and the base 14 holds the operating lever in its uppermost position.

In operation, a cap-seal 28 is placed around the elements 11a and 11b as shown in Figures 8 and 9, and the top of a bottle to be sealed is inserted between said elements. The lever 20 is then depressed. This causes the elements 11a and lib to be moved apart, thereby expanding the cap-seal 23 and enabling it to pass easily over the top of the bottle, as shown in Figure 9. The elements 11a and 11b are retained in their spread-apart position by the action of the strips 19 which are moved into engagement between the support 13 and the abutments 16. As a result, the bottle can be readily removed, by first lifting it so as to disengage the funnel elements from the seal, and then lowering the bottle. On release of the lever 20, the latter is restored to its initial raised position by the spring 27. At the end of this movement, the lever arm 25 causes the cam 26 to rock in the direction indicated by arrow 30 in Figure 8, thereby releasing the stops 16 and allowing the funnel elements 11a and 11b to return to their initial positions. The device is then in condition for a fresh sealing operation.

It will be evident that many modifications can be made in the construction of my improved bottle sealing device as illustrated and described. Thus, for example, the

to 9, animproved sealing strips 19 serving to maintain the funnel elements in their spread-apart condition may be omitted. In such case, removal of the sealed bottle is effected by first rocking the bottle sideways, thereby disengaging the bottle neck from one of the funnel elements, then rocking the bottle forward.

Counterweights 31 may be secured to the support 13 as indicated in chain lines in Figure 9 in order to retain the rods 12 in their horizontal positions.

It will be evident moreover that an improved sealing device as described above with reference to Figures 7 to 9 may prove useful in applying seals of other types than shown in Figures 1 to 6, provided such seals are made of a relatively resilient deformable plastic material and are preformed to a shape corresponding to that of the mouth portion of the container to which they are to be applied.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for applying deformable plastic capseals having open lower ends to the necks of containers; the combination of a stand, a pair of shoehorn-like elements having tapered ends directed upwardly and converging in that direction, means carried by said stand and supporting said elements for movement toward and away from each other so that, when said elements are moved toward each other, the elements can be inserted into the open lower end of a cap-seal and, when said elements are thereafter moved away from each other, the capseal on the elements is expanded to fit over the neck of a container extended upwardly between the elements, a pressure member, means supporting said pressure member so that the latter is movable generally vertically above said elements, an operating member, means operatively connecting said operating member to said elements and to said pressure member so that manipulation of said operating member causes said pressure member to press downwardly on a cap-seal positioned on said elements as the latter are moved away from each other, releasable means operative, in one position, to hold said elements in spaced apart relationship, and means controlled by said operating member for disposing said releasable means in said one position after manipulation of said operating member so that said elements will remain spaced apart to facilitate the upward movement of the neck of a container between said elements for removing a cap-seal from said elements to contract onto the container neck.

2. In apparatus for applying deformable plastic capseals having open lower ends to the necks of containers; the combination according to claim 1; wherein said means supporting the elements include two axially aligned and longitudinally slidable rods having said elements at their adjacent ends and being yieldably urged toward each other, and said releasable means for holding said elements in spaced apart relationship includes a stop member on each of said slidable rods, a shaft extending parallel to said rods, and radial arms extending from said shaft and extendable into the paths of said stop members at the sides of the latter facing toward said elements to prevent movement of said stop members toward each other with said rods and elements, said stop members having inclined upper surfaces adapted to cam under the related radial arms during the movement of said elements away from each other.

3. In apparatus for applying deformable plastic capseals having open lower ends to the necks of containers; the combination according to claim 2, wherein said means controlled by the operating member for disposing said releasable means in said one position includes a cam member on said shaft and a cam actuating member movable in response to manipulation of said operating member in the direction for moving said pressure member upwardly and operative to then turn said shaft for raising said radial arms out of the paths of said top members so that said rods and elements are then free to be yieldably moved toward each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,767,512 Cohoe June 24, 1930 1,831,883 Risser Nov. 17, 1931 1,835,336 Risser Dec. 8, 1931 2,151,508 Glensky Mar. 21, 1939 2,327,262 Hall Aug. 17, 1943 2,642,213 Goldsmith June 16, 1953 

